Isaac watson myebs



Unirse Srnrne Partnr Ormes@ ISAAO VATSON MYERS, OF HAMILTON, ONTARIO,CANADA.

BOOTSTRETCl-HER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 309,154, dated December9, 1884.

Application filed October 3, 1S83. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, Isaac WATSON MYERS, ofthe city of Hamilton, in thecounty of fentworth, in the Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boot-Stretchers5and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the construction and operation of the same.

The invention relates to further improvements on my boot-stretcher forwhich Let-ters Patent of the United States were granted to me on the24th day of January, 1871., No. 111,137.

My first improvement relates to forming and constructing the heel andskeleton frame in one entire piece, my former one having them in twopieces, which is objectionable. My said improvement causes the stretcherto be more simple and durable.

Second. An objection was held to the old stretcher in that the heelportion sometimes slipped up in the boot when the device was inoperation 5 and my second improvement consists in forming a point on theouter end of the worn1-rack, and made to project through a correspondingopening in theend of the sliding heehpiece. In the operation ofstretching a boot, as soon as the turning of the heclstud commences, thesaid point projects outward into the heel of the boot about to bestretched and holds the heel of the stretcher firmly in place while theoperation of stretching is being accomplished. As soon as the stud isreversed, the said point is withdrawn, which allows the stretcher to beeasily removed from the boot.

Third. In my former device the worm-rack, operated by a worm at the heelportion, could not move as far in and out horizontally as I would wish;and my third improvement consists in cutting a recess diagonally at aproper angle in the roof of the heel portion of the instep, and placingtherein at the same angle the disk provided with a worm that meshes intothe worm-rack, by which one portion only of the worm is actuating thesaid wormrack at once. The other portion not meshing into it is aboveits teeth, and consequently al lows thc rack more latitude to operatethe sliding heelpiece.

Fourth. A, slight improvement is made on the position of the hinges forthe wings or side pieces, the old ones being hinged too far forward,which restricted their length and expansion and consequent usefulness.My fourth improvement consists in j hinging the said wings opposite theheelstud,by which the said wings or side pieces are rendered longer andmore capable of their swell portions being pressed outward to betteradvantage.

Fifth. I construct the upper section or in step of the last and the toppart of the heelpiece or roof of the worm-disk in one entire piece, withholes drilled in the same at the proper places for the screw-studs toproject through. In my former stretcher these parts were separate, withslots eut in the same for the two foot-screw studs to pass through, andwhich required a recess in cach screw, which was objectionable.'Insteadof the said recess in the screws, I now place a collar aroundeach of said screws, which have a bearing on the inside of the slantingportion of the instep. This change makes the device more easy ofmanufacture as well as more substantial.

Sixth. In my former or first stretchcrI employed two separate studs orbearings. for the foot-screws-one on the under side of the uppersection. or instep, and one on the lower or skeleton portion. I now doaway with the upper stud, elongate the lower one, and drill two holes init for bearings for both screws, which improves and strengthens thedevice. I also cast on the underside of the said instep or upper sectiontwo lugs or projections, be-

Eighth. In my `former boot-stretcher I se cured the toe part ot' theskeleton or lower portion of the last to the same part of the uppersection or instep of the last by ascrew. I now do away with this methodof securing the IOO said parts together, and in lieu thereof I cast onthe toe part of the instep a projection curved toward the point, and'itslower end mad/e to pass through an opening in the skeleton frame, whichholds the two parts of the device sufficiently together to answer allpurposes.

By reference to the drawings forming part of this specication it will beseen vthat Figure lis a side elevation of my improved bootstretcher.Fig. 2 is a plan of the same with one of the side wings removed. Fig. 3is a Vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 4L is aplan with instep properremoved, also the side wings or plates and the upper section of theformer broken to show the interior arrangement of the various parts.Fig. 5 is a plan of the under side of the worm detached that actuatesthe worm-rack and sliding heel-piece. Fig. 6 is a side view of the same.

Full particulars of the working of my rst boot-stretcher may be seen byreference to my patent cited above, No. 111,137, dated J anuary 24,1871.

A is the metallic frame or skeleton forming the lower part of the last,and in which-the heel or lower part form a solid part of it. Its centralportion is provided with a stud, r, slanting upward toward the front,andhaving two holes drilled in it to receive the ends of the screws C andH, said screws being provided with collars s s, surrounding them andmade to press against the standing portion of the instep G. The saidscrews also pass through the nuts I and C.

B is a sliding heel-piece having its shank or inner end moving in aslotin the heel portions of the skeleton frame, and made to operate by aworm-rack, a, set longitudinally into it, and having its outer endpointed, as at t, Fig. 3, and made to pass in and out of t-he heelpieceB through the hole a, to hold the heel of the stretcher firmly in theboot as it is being stretched. The worm-rack is actuated by means of thedisk B', set on an incline in the diagonal recess c, and provided with aworm, a', as seen at Figs. 5 and 6,- one portion only f which meshesinto the said worm-rack and moves it when actuated by a socket-wrenchplaced on its shaft, which projects up through the heel portion ofthedevice.

F F are the wings or side pieces, curved to the outline of the foot, andprovided at their broadest part with an internal vertical rib, F. Theyare hinged vat their rear ends to the center of the heel portion of themachine, by which means they are made longer and more capable ofexpansion at the opposite ends or swell portion. Y

By reference to my said former patent it will be seen that the instepand heel portions (marked G and A, respectively) are two separatepieces; but I now make them in one piece; and in my first patent theinstep G is shown fastened to the skeleton or base piece at the toe byascrew, c. This I do away with, and

form a projection, w, cast on the under side of the toe of the saidinstep portion, and allow it to pass down into and through an opening,so, made in the skeleton frame A. This device holds the parts together just as well as and is more convenient than fastening them by a screw, asformerly.

On my first boot-stretcher I constructed a hinged prop to theinstep-plate proper, J, which prop rested on the floor of the skeletonframe. By reference to Fig. 3 it will be seen that I now construct asolid prop, z, cast to the said instep-plate proper, J, and'which passesthrough an opening in the plate G, and its lower end rests in a grooveof the skeleton frame, which keeps it in its place.

II is the screw which passes through the nut I for moving the wedge E,which presses out the side wings, F F.

C is the lower screw, passing through a nut,

C, for pushing out the slotted toe-piece D,

which slides in the forward part of the skeleton frame.

M is a screw which passes through a nut, L, attached to the rear end ofthe instep-plate proper, J, and rests in the recess o of the most yelevated portion of the instep G. By turning the said screw with asocket-wrench the 1nstep-plate proper, J, may be raised to stretch thatcorresponding part of a boot.

I I are the arms, whose front ends interlock with the wedge E, andhaving the nut I between their upper ends. r.Iurning the screw H pushesthe wedge forward and presses out the side wings. By turning the screw Cthe toepieceD is projected forward, it being connected to the nut C byarms similar to those marked I.

N are lumps or movable bosses, which may be placed at different parts ofthe device, as

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may be found necessary to enlarge that part Vof the boot where growersof corns require it.

The screws are cut with left-hand threads, for convenience, and squaredon their heads, to be easily rotated by a socket-wrench.

It will be seen that the instep G, the skeleton frame A, and the sidepieces or wings, F F, are all secured together at the center of the heelby the hinge-pins m, lugs being cast on the whole of them to form thehinges, rendering the machine less complicated and easier made.

Having thus described my improvements, what I claim as my invention, anddesire to sccure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a boot-stretcher, the combination ofthe instep G and heel portion,made in one piece, with the screws C H ,worm-disk B', and pointed racka, substantially as specified.

2. In a boot-stretcher, the combination ofthe worm-rack a, provided witha point, t, heel piece B, inclined worm-disk B', and metallic frame A,substantially as specified.

3. In aboot-stretcher, the combination of the diagonal recess o in theheel portion of the instep G, the inclined disk B', worm a', andwormrack a, to operate substantially as and for the purpose specified.

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4L. In boot-stretcher, the combination of the wings or side pieces, F,and heel portions A,the

former hinged at or about the center of the latter, substantially as andfor the purpose speeiiied.

5. Inuboot-st-reteher, tlleeoinbinution ofthe instep G, screws C II, undcollars s s, substantially as und for the purpose specified.

6. In a boot-stretcher, the stud r, east on the skeleton frame und inudeto pass up to the roof of the instep G, und steedied in place betweentlie lugs y y, east on the roof of said instep, us described.

7 In u boot-stretcher, the solid prop z, oust on the toe of theinstep-plate proper, J, und made to slide in a groove in the bottom ofthe skeleton immens und for the purpose speeied.

8. In a boot-stretcher, a projection, w, east on the instep G, and anopening, fr, in the 2o skeleton frame, by which, :is the former entersthe latter, the two parts are united, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

9. In u bootstretoher, securing the instep G, the skeleton frame A, andWings or side pieces, 25 F F,together by hinge-pins m at the center ofthe heel, substantially as und for the purpose specified.

ISAAC VATSON MYERS. In presence of* A. F. LEMANs, WM. BRUCE.

